Biographical Note

Grant Hubbard Redford was born December 25, 1908 in Seattle, Washington, son of Thomas Lloyd Redford and Sarah Gwennie Hubbard of Logan. Redford grew up in Logan and eventually moved to Cedar City,Utah where he taught English. A few years later he relocated to Seattle Washington where he taught creative writing at the University of Washington. In the mid 1950s he taught in Turkey, then returned to teach and live in Seattle. Redford died in 1965.

Redford attended Logan High School in the late 1920s, winning the Hendrick's Medal for oration at Utah State Agricultural College (U.S.A.C.) in 1929. His youth was fueled by an ambition to be a known author. In high school and college years he was active in both literary and dramatic societies. He was a contributor to the Logan Daily Herald, The Scribbler (U.S.A.C. art/literary journal), and he was also editor for The Scribbler and Student Life. A fellow classmate of May Swensen, both published poetry in an anthology of contemporary Utah poetry Utah Sings, in the mid-1930s. He served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Vermont from 1930 -1932. As a member of USAC International Relations Club he led an anti-war demonstration at U.S.A.C. in the fall of 1936.

Upon graduation from U.S.A.C. in 1936, Redford taught speech at the Branch Agricultural College in Cedar City, Utah. In the 1940s he served as associate editor for Rocky Mountain Review, and in 1941 earned an M.S. degree in speech from the University of Iowa.

By the late 1940s, Redford taught in the English department at the University of Washington in Seattle. His teaching emphasis was short story and play writing; both genres reflected his own writing interests and pursuits. Redford also taught drama at the University of Ankara, Turkey from 1958 -59. He helped found the Port Townsend Summer School of the Arts in Washington in 1961, and served on its faculty until his death in 1965.

Redford's short stories were published in national magazines like Cosmopolitan as well as scholarly journals. In the 1960s, he sought performance of his plays by contacting agents on Broadway, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and televison stations. When Redford died in 1965, he had established a reputation as a well known writer in the Pacific northwest.

Content Description

Plays, short stories, books, novels, pageants, poetry, and articles written by Grant Redford from 1930 to 1970. The collection includes his writings and personal papers during his days working at the University of Washington and his time working in Turkey at the University of Ankara from 1958 to 1960.

The first eight boxes include the notes, drafts, correspondence, and publicity involved in the writing of Redford's plays. The material is arranged by the plays written. The next two boxes include the short stories written by Redford. Boxes eleven through thirteen include the drafts, revisions, and notes of the novels, books, and pageants written. Poetry and articles developed by Redford are found in boxes fourteen through fifteen. Grant Redford's notes and ideas for writing material are found in the next box. All of these boxes are arranged with the same order in which Grant Redford arranged his files.

Box eighteen contains Redford's personal papers including correspondence, a bibliography, a letter of recommendation, and a daybook. Also included in the collection are the works of other authors (boxes nineteen and twenty). Boxes twenty-one through twenty-three contain Redford's lectures, notes, articles, and Turkish publications collected during his days at the University of Ankara in Turkey. Copies of the Intermountain Review are found in box twenty-four. Redford's scrapbooks and journals can be located in the next box. Finally, reel to reels and tapes are located in box twenty-six.

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access :

No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.

Restrictions on Use :

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.